Ladder



(No Model.) 2 Shee tsSheet 1. A. O. STOWE.

LADDER.

INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 21, 1884.

QI W A ff c T WITNESSES:

ift: ATTORNEYS (N0 ModeL) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. 0. STOWE.

LADDER. No. 306,974. ,Patented Oct. 21, 1884.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR). 141d fAW. 1 fl 0-. I TTOR-N EUNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ANSON O. STOWVE, OF PAOLA, KANSAS.

LADDER.

(QPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 306,974, dated October21, 1884.

Application filed September 2, 1894.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANsoN O. S'rown, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Paola, in the county of Miami and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladders; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and inwhich Figure I is a front view of my improved ladder, showing the samefolded. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is across-section. 'Fi g. 4 is a side view showing the ladder extended as astep-ladder, the dotted lines showing the extension-slide in its raisedposition. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the hinges. Fig. 6 is adetail view of the combined detachable rung and hinge-tightening wrench.Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of the extension-slide. Fig. Sis aside view showing the ladder extended to its utmost capacity, and Fig. 9is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the lower end of theladder, showing the same in its folded position, as for storage orshipment.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to folding and extension ladders; and it has forits object to pro vide a device which shall possess superior advantagesin point of simplicity, durability, inexpensiveness, and generaleificiency.

XVith these ends in View, the invention consists in the improvedconstruction and combi nation of parts, which will be hereinafter fullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, A and B designate two ladder-sections ofequal length, which are connected bya hinge-joint, G. The side rails, DD, of the lower section, A, are spread outward at their lower ends, soas to prop and sustain the ladder securely when in use. The outer orupper end of the upper section, B, (which, however, when the ladderisfolded adjoins the lower end of the lower sec tion,) is provided 011 theinner sides of its side rails E E with spring stops or catches F (Nomodel.)

F. The said side rails are also provided with two sets of transversehooks, G G and H H, at right angles to each other, and havingscrew-threaded shanks provided with thumbnuts I, which may be readilytightened in the manner and for the purposes to be hereinafterdescribed. E and the straight or parallel portion of the side rails Dare provided with longitudinal grooves J.

The hinges by which the ladder-sections A and B are connected are of theconstruction clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, by reference towhich it will be seen that they consist of leaves or plates K, havingcurved ends provided with segmental slots L, adapted to receive thepintles M, which consist of screwthreaded shanks having square heads attheir inner ends, and the outer ends of which enter nuts N, which areprovided with flattened portions 0, fitted in the slots L, so as toprevent the said nuts from turning when the screwthreaded pintles aretightened. The edges of the hinge-plates are provided with lugs I,fitting over the edges of the side rails of the lad der-sections, whichare thereby braced and strengthened, and the inner adjoining sides ofthe slotted portions 01' the hinge-plates are serrated or corrugated, asshown at Q, so that when the pintles are tightened they shall bindfirmly together and serve to secure the laddersections in the positionto which they have been adjusted relatively to each other.

R is a rung arranged detachably at the in tersection of the two hingedladder-sections. The said rung is provided at one end with a squaremetallic socket, S, adjustable upon the head of one of the pintles M,and at its other end it has a socket, T, one side of which is formed bya slide, U, which may be withdrawn so as to admit of the adjustment ofthe said socket upon the head of the pintle of the other hinge. The saidpintles are to be provided, respectively, with right and left handthreads. It follows that when the said rung is placed in position it maybe utilized for the purpose of tightening the pintles of the hinges,while, when desired, it may be readily removed.

V designates the extension-section of the ladder, the side rails ofwhich are provided. on their outer sides with ribs or flanges IV,

The inner sides of the side rails.

adapted to slide in the grooves in the inner sides of the sections A andB. The lower ends of the side rails of the extension-section areprovided with outward-projecting pins X, and also with a doubleadjustable hook, a, pivoted to the inner side of the side rails, andadapted to hook upon the rungs of either section A or B.

Y designates a detachable and adjustable platform, the under side ofwhich is provided at both ends with hooks Z Z, adapted to catch over tworungs of the ladder-sections A and B when the same are unfolded for useas a step-ladder, when the said platform will be found serviceable as atable for supporting a basket, pail, paint-pot, or the like. Anadditional but smaller platform, A, is provided, the ends of which areprovided with tenons B B, adapted to rest in recesses 0, formed in theadjoining ends of the side rails of the ladder-sections A and B, and thepurpose of which is to accommodate the detachable rung when the ladderis fully extended. 7

From the foregoing description, takenin connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of myinvention will bereadily understood.

To fold the ladder for storage or shipment, the sections A B are firstfolded together. The pins X of the section Vare then inserted betweenthe side rails of sections A B and the section Vslid in betweenthelatter in such .a manner that its flanges WV shall enter the groovesJ of section A. The lower ends of the side rails of section V will enterthe catches or hooks G G of section B, thus locking the two hingedsections together. The detachable rung is then placed in position, thuspreventing the withdrawal of the section V. .The detachable platformsmay be placed between sectionVand one of the sections A B. To open theladder for use, the operation is reversed. When the sections A B areextended as a stepladder, the section V may be partly extended andsupported by one ofits rungs resting upon the platform Y. Then theladder is extended to its full capacity, as in Fig. 8, theextensionsection V is secured by means of the hooks or clamps G H. Byadjusting the section B in a horizontalposition,placing sectionAat anangle of about sixty degrees to the ground, and sliding sectionV outuntil its pinsX enter the stops f, the said section V may be placed atan angle of about sixty degrees to the ground and sion-ladders, thecombination of two hinged be suitably braced or connected with sectionA. By simply placing a plank upon the section B an excellent scaffoldfor painters or other artizans may be formed.

Other uses of my improved folding ladder will readily suggestthemselves.

The device is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong, and durable,and capable of being folded and packed into a small space.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- 1. In a ladder, the combination oftwo folding sections connected by hinges, consisting ofsegmentally-slotted leaves or plates having lugs at their edges andcorrugations upon their adjoining sides, and right-andleft-hand threadedpintles with square heads at their inner ends, and provided at theirouter ends with nuts having flattened portions extending through theslots of the hinges, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the folding laddersections con nected by hingeshaving right-andleft-hand threaded pintles with square heads at theirinner ends, with the detachable rung having a square socket at one end,and at the other end a square socket one of whose sides is formed by aslide, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. As an improvement in folding and extenladder-sections the hinges ofwhich have rightand-leftha-nd threaded pintles, the side rails ofsaideladdersections being longitudinally grooved on their inner sides,and the upper section being provided at its free end with stops F andclamps G H, the extension-section having exteriorly-flanged side railsprovided at their lower ends with outwardly-extending pins,and havingpivoted double hooks, the detachable socketed rung, and the platforms YA, all constructed, combined, and operating substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANSON C. STOWVE.

Witnesses:

J. T. HAUGHEY, E. T. AHRENS.

